


somebody wants you

by lunamars (lunnamars)



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Post-Time Skip, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-02-19 12:04:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22910776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunnamars/pseuds/lunamars
Summary: She just wanted to haveone daywithout thinking about Monkey D. Luffy.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Nami
Comments: 43
Kudos: 216





	1. fissure

**Author's Note:**

> First attempt to write about LuNami, one of the ships I love the most!
> 
> A quick reminder that English is not my primary language, so forgive me for any mistakes. 
> 
> And our daily disclaimer: obviously, I don't own anything in One Piece because if I did, Luffy and Nami would already be together. Yeah.

“Why the hell did you come with me, Luffy?”

Nami had been wondering that since the moment she left Sunny. Usually, the redhead tended to do the same activities during the time they stopped to recorder the Log Pose, especially while no fuss was yet to be settled. And as she believed that today would be no different, she thought she’d just need to divide the money between the crew members, say goodbye to everyone and go looking for her beloved clothing stores.

The magnetization would take around forty-eight hours, so it would be enough time for her to enjoy the city center, looking at stores after stores very calmly and still enjoy a little bit of the festival that would happen the other day.

I mean, if it weren't for the captain at her side.

For some reason, Luffy had stated loud and clear that he’d make company to Nami today and that _"please, Usopp and Chopper don't cry"_ ( _"But they are already crying, Luffy."_ ) because they would definitely explore the island together the next day.

That was an hour ago. Incredibly, neither Robin nor Sanji joined her and only the captain actually remained. Not that she minded spending time with the boy, quite the contrary - discreetly, Nami always tried to take advantage of any opportunities to be with him when it appeared.

After all, when you love someone, spending time together is always welcome.

Yeah. Love.

Not a crush, not an infatuation, let alone an affection from very close friends.

Currently, it was much more than that and Nami would no longer deny it.

The girl has been in denial for so long that since she finally managed to admit to herself that _no, all this affection and concern can’t be just friendship_ , everything seemed to be much lighter. And it is not as if the whole world knew too - only Robin (and for the record, it was not of her own free will) because, let's face it, Nico Robin, unfortunately, is a very perceptive person.

Oh, and a certain pirate woman too.

So, as she knew that her archaeologist friend was aware of the situation, Luffy's unexpected company could only be…

"Robin! She said that you needed my help!!". He happily exclaimed.

_Sure. And in what exactly, Robin?_

"I see... and she said what kind of help I needed?"

Nami was facing the fitting room mirror looking at the reflection of a completely electric Luffy running from side to side. As the redhead has been around for a long time, the captain's hyperactivity was nothing new, but she knew that the girl at the store was about to go crazy with so much random yukata that he picked it up and threw it in her hands.

"Tomorrow's festival! She said that you really wanted to go, but that neither she nor Sanji could help you choose the clothes, so she said I could and here I am! Nami, Nami ... look at this yukata? What do you think of this? Look at this one!! It's that-

"BE QUIET!!". Nami screamed and Luffy pouted.

"Namiiii-"

She had no option - she had to hit his head. And it's not that the navigator got angry by the captain's fussiness, but that she knew very well why Robin had suggested it and why Luffy had accepted it. But honestly, she just wanted to have a peaceful day.

She just wanted to have _one day_ without thinking about Monkey D. Luffy.

But okay, Nami is a grown woman. Her times of throwing a tantrum with the boy and being angry because of her own feelings were no more. If fate ( _Can I also say that fate is called Robin?_ ) decided that today she would have to endure all the shenanigans of her best friend, so be it. She is much more than her unrequited feelings.

Their friendship is _much more_ than her unrequited feelings.

In reality, the redhead never got to confess. Today she can identify that these feelings have always existed since the moment Luffy put the straw hat on her head, but it was only five months ago that she finally realized. Coincidentally, when she met Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress.

The navigator admits how childish she was - what she deciphered that could have been a serious crisis of jealousy. Nami never thought that she could feel this much jealousy in her life and it almost ended the spirituality of the Empress's visit. Right from the start, the redhead didn't like how Hancock talked to Luffy, how she hugged him, how she looked at him, let alone how she said over and over again that she was going to marry the boy.

This caused her to simply raise hell inside the Thousand Sunny, raging at anyone at any time and even being rude to the woman. Obviously this didn't go unnoticed by the captain and Nami is almost sure that it was the first time that Monkey D. Luffy called her out seriously, which left her feeling so apprehensive and guilty that, in the end, it was enough for her to wake up.

_"I don't know what's your problem, but you're not acting normal. Hancock is our visit and she's my friend. I will not let anyone mistreat her, not even you, Nami."_

On the same day, the navigator addressed the empress alone, apologized and gave a lame excuse that she didn't even remember, but she knew that the words of the beautiful pirate would be forever marked in her mind.

_"I know you don't like me because you're in love with him. I completely understand and don't judge you. But deep down, you know you’re not enough for him, don't you? Don’t get me wrong, I’m saying this it's what I see. He’ll always have to save you and you will never be able to really pay for everything he did, don't you think? Are you sure you could live in such a relationship?"_

Few things have hurt Nami deeply - the impotence in the face of the murder of Bell-mère, the inability to save her village from Arlong, the need to discard a good part of her childhood for a greater cause… and now, the words of Boa Hancock. Each sentence felt as if the empress was sticking a knife into her chest and turning. The raw truth of the shichibukai's words remained with Nami in the same way that her tattoo remained on her arm after all this time.

She remembers how much she cried that day hidden in the bathroom after the party for the Kujas pirates ended. Deep down, she knew it was all true - she loved Luffy more than anyone could imagine, she knew that he really always found a way to save her from any situation even if she didn't ask, but that she was always with a heavy heart because at any moment, what the hell would she do if he got hurt irreparably because of her own weakness? She knew it was an unbalanced relationship.

She knew all this.

It hurt to finally stop pretending to herself and at the same time discover that she really wasn't enough.

However, the other day, Nami was a totally different person with Hancock and the entire crew. No more angry faces or snarky remarks - she tried to be as nice as she could, since the empress, despite giving a dirty look at the two women on the crew, did no harm to the navigator. Besides, Nami was fully aware that she was acting like a child just because Hancock was right in all of her observations and all the redhead could do was just accept it.

Besides, it's not like Luffy has any idea what it means to like someone more than a _nakama_. Nami didn't even have to confess to know that the captain didn't really see her that way. Few words were necessary to confirm this fact and she would be lying if she said that his firm denial about the mere idea of possibly being married to her had not hurt her either.

This escaped from his mouth shortly after Hancock's departure when Usopp and Chopper were messing with him about what he thought about marriage and romantic relationships since the beautiful pirate left no doubt about her true intention with Luffy. One word leads to another and Usopp, incredibly impertinent, asked if he had already thought about this type of thing about his female crewmates.

_"Haa? No!! Robin is too old and Nami doesn't always do something fun. I don't think it would work, shishishi."_

It really took the redhead by surprise - so much that she couldn't even hit him in the head for being rude. The reaction (or lack of) did not go unnoticed by the Straw Hats, much less by Luffy. He had the usual silly and innocent smile on his face, but when he realized that Nami just stared at him with no expression, the captain became confused and soon he started to panic thinking that his friend would hit him and _"please Nami, don't do anything, sorry, sorry"_ -

In fact, the navigator did nothing. After a few seconds, she merely gave a fake laugh and agreed with Luffy ( _"Maybe you're right, Captain."_ ), but everyone realized that since then their relationship has changed almost imperceptibly just because Nami was good at lying. But secretly, everyone was trying to fix this "something" that seemed to have been broken, but that nobody knew exactly what it was.

Not even Nami knew. She tried to not show anything, but unconsciously, she started to avoid fondling with Luffy's hair (although she is often unsuccessful), tried not to wear the hat anymore when he puts it on her head, started to draw maps more often in the library, walked away when they were to close. Still, she still enjoyed every moment she could have with the rubber boy while maintaining a safe distance between the two. Since then, Nami has been stuck in this duality of wanting to get close, but at the same time to move away.

It's not as if an abyss had formed between them, but there was a slightly open fissure so that she knew where she should be when he was completely out of her reach.

It was also unnecessary to say how much she cried hidden in the bathroom for two days. And that's when Nico Robin found out. Nami really had no intention of telling anyone - it would be the secret she would keep under lock and key. But Robin... Robin was very observant and intelligent. Obviously, she noticed how Nami came back with puffy eyes in those two days that followed the captain's statement.

On the third day, the navigator cried on her friend's lap.

Initially, Nami tried to be as discreet as possible, but something told her that Luffy had noticed and since the Empress's fateful visit, the captain tried to get close to her whenever he could. She got tired of telling the boy that it was okay, that she hadn't been upset, that he doesn’t need to worry, but for some reason, he still persisted.

The funny thing is that Luffy, in one way or another, taught her and showed her several things, including what was a broken heart.

"Luffy, honestly, you didn't have to come. You could have gone for a walk on the island with Usopp and Chopper, no biggie. And tomorrow, I just intended to stop by the festival and go back to Sunny."

The girl sighed heavily as she smoothed the boy's dark hair. Of course she wanted to spend time with him (while not - and she gave a double sigh because nothing seemed to make sense in the last few months), but Nami would not impose her presence on someone who wasn't in the mood to enjoy it. In the old days, she felt super offended and enraged every time she thought about how they almost never go out just the two of them during stops around the islands because he always ran to be close to Usopp, Chopper or Zoro, but nowadays she simply accepted that this is how it is.

Deep down, she wanted him to yearn for her company just as she craved for his, but you can't have everything, right? Luffy's friendship is one of the most valuable things that she possessed and she definitely would not lose everything due to selfish desires on her part.

Luffy accepted the pat on his head and just tilted his face expressionlessly.

"You don't want me to stay here, Nami?". His suddenly serious tone really surprised her.

"Of course I want. I just don't want to make you do something you don't want to do, you idiot. I can manage here without any problems. I'm sure you would rather go exploring the island than to look at clothes with me, nee Lu-"

"Would you prefer Sanji instead?". Luffy asked in his blunt way and Nami was startled again. _I usually want your company, you idiot in a hat_ , the redhead thought, holding on the urge to roll her eyes.

"Haa? I didn't say that. I just meant that you would have more fun if you had gone with Usopp or Chopp-"

"Yoshi!! If you don't mind, then let's continue, Nami!! There are still other yukatas here that I separated- Oe, Nami! What time is the festival? Do we still have time??". The boy opened his eyes comically and Nami held on tightly to keep from laughing. _He himself just said that the festival was tomorrow and has already forgotten. It's almost impossible to be upset with you, you fool!_

“Calm down, Luffy. The festival is only tomorrow. Let's do this way: you finish helping me choose a yukata for the festival, then I buy you ice cream and you're free, what do you think?”

"Ice cream?? Can we go already then?"

Another hit on the head.

"Didn't you hear what I just said, you moron??!! AFTER!!”

Luffy pouted and Nami almost gave in but preferred to keep her scowl on. The captain really managed to be uncontrollable when he wanted to.

"Okay, but you have to help me too, Nami! I’ll need clothes to go to the festival and you always say that I dress badly, but I’ll show you that you’re crazy and wrong."

"Are you going to the festival?? Why?? And… c-c-crazy? …CRAZY??"

The redhead raised her arm to beat Luffy up, but he was faster - he threw the yukatas on the floor and ran. But before leaving for the men's store, he looked at Nami from head to toe and said in a simple and cheerful way something she never imagined hearing from him.

"You look very beautiful, Nami! I think this is the best you have tried so far!! Shishishi."

And she could neither answer nor prevent her face from blushing.

.

.

.

.

.

バカ _baka_ _._


	2. loyalty

Honestly, Nami believed that Luffy wasn't a person with good taste for clothes (and for things in general), but the yukata he chose for her was really beautiful - made of a light blue fabric with cherry blossoms scattered all over and a pink obi. But his good taste was really demonstrated in the form of the black yukata he chose for himself.

The outfit was simple, but it looked so good on Luffy that Nami stared at him for a few seconds because she just couldn't look away. The color and patterns of clouds gave the rubber boy a more mature look and she was unable to not give a compliment.

_ "Damn Luffy, you look good." _

The boy just stared at her, blinking and Nami simply turned into a puddle of embarrassment. But, quickly, Luffy recovered and opened a huge smile that distracted her completely and answered simply:

_ "Great!! I knew you're crazy, shishishi." _

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Incredibly, the captain had, in fact, behaved during their stroll to the clothing stores and as promised, she took him to a nearby ice cream shop. The redhead always laughed at how he acted when he was taken anywhere that was related to food and again, he didn't disappoint. They just needed to step inside the ice cream shop to Luffy go crazy. She had noticed the place when they passed on the way to the alley full of clothing stores and saw how colorful it was, well lit and said  _ "come and taste all the flavors that the best ice cream shop in the New World has to offer!" _ , which made her think instantly that the boy would love the place.

Obviously, it didn't have all the flavors, but Luffy believed it and was extremely disappointed, shouting at the attendant that this was a rip-off and the cashier girl could only look between him and Nami without knowing what to do.  The redhead just gave her an apologetic look.

"Luffy! Luffy!! Okay, calm down. How about getting one flavor of each then? Will it do?", Nami tried to pacify him.

"Seriously?? SERIOUSLY, NAMI?? OE AUNTIE, GET ME A BUCKET AND MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER!!"

And once again Monkey D. Luffy managed to make random people completely crazy with his hyperactivity and Nami could only find it funny and feel so… at home. It had been a year since they all got together again and this chaotic scene was already so much a part of her life that the navigator didn't know how to live without it anymore.

_ I love this idiot. _

As soon as a completely exhausted attendant handed him a bucket of ice cream, he sat down next to Nami and started to eat with an amused expression, while humming some random song. The two fell into a comfortable silence and he finally calmed down.

A calm Luffy was a rare occurrence and Nami is always amazed. She always tried to take advantage of those moments because they were occasions where she was able to talk to him about various topics. Those were moments when Monkey D. Luffy looked less like a monkey and more like… you see, a twenty-year-old boy.

It's nothing new to anyone that he acted like a moron every day, but Nami knew that deep down, Luffy was very perceptive. Especially about his friends. She wouldn't go so far as to say that there was a brilliant brain inside that head always covered with messy black hair, but to say that he had no sense of the things that happened around him would be a complete lie.

She has always known this, but she's still surprised when these occasions of serenity happened. They started showing up after their two years of separation and the navigator was sure that this was due to everything that happened in Luffy's life after Ace's death. Grow in maturity was inevitable, but if Nami could, she would have given everything to make this growth happen in a different way.

The navigator rested her face in one hand and looked at him. Today he was particularly lovely dressed in a yellow collar shirt, khaki shorts, and a brown boot. The straw hat was on top of another orange one with goggles attached that Nami was almost sure was the same one she had given as a gift years ago. She didn't even realize that he still had the hat, considering how quick he is to lose things.

And now that she was watching him, she really saw how handsome he was. Deep down, no one is able to resist the captain's carefree charm and Nami realized that, in the end, anything Luffy did was completely effective against her. The contagious smile, the stupid humor, the eternal boyish face, the most beautiful innocence she has ever seen. Luffy had a heart of gold and no person in this world could deny that. Not even Torao. The Straw Hat always delighted anyone they meet because of the personality and ingenuity he had.

_ Gosh, how I love this idiot. _

"Did something happen, Nami?", Luffy's voice brought the redhead back to the present and she realized she had been staring at him for a while. He looked at her with curiosity and a certain expression of concern, and she felt her heart warm as she remembered that even though he doesn't love her  _ that way _ , she's still important to him.

_ You deserve the world, Luffy and all of us would give it to you if we could. _

Nami just shook her head and smiled warmly. He has no idea of the extent of her affection for him and believes he won't ever know. But obviously, she'll always be around, helping him with whatever is necessary and focusing on the captain's dream (and hers at the same time), as well as everyone on the crew, because her loyalty to him is completely blind.

A blind loyalty and an unshakable trust she will have for no one else.

_ You are the person I trust the most in this world. _

"You know you can talk to me, right?"

Once again, Nami must have continued to stare at him without saying anything because the captain's expression started to lose its innocent curiosity and turn into complete concern.

"Yep, I know.", she said.

"So, what are you thinking about? It's scaring me, Nami!"

"Luffy.", she said earnestly.

"O-oe.", he replied cautiously.

"You know that we will all follow you wherever you go, right?", the redhead's voice was firm and stern.

"Yep!"

"You know that we are utterly loyal to you, right?"

"Yeah! I am also with you all! shishishi", he smiled like a child.

"You know that I will only leave if you specifically  _ tell _ me to go, right? And you know that even so, I won't leave without punching you, right?"

"Yeeeah-! Hey, but why the hell would I tell you to leave, Nami? D-D-Do you want to leave, N-N-Nami?? WHY, NAMI??"

A punch.

"How the hell don't you hear what we say, you dumbass?! I didn't say any of that! I'm just saying that if one day, you want me to leave, you'll have to _say_ _it_ clearly!! I made a promise to you, Luffy and I intend to keep it!"

Nami crossed her arms and glared at the captain. Luffy seemed to mull over something as he finished devouring his ice cream.

"Is there anything that would make you leave, Nami?"

The redhead turned her attention back to him again, but the boy wasn't looking at her. Luffy seemed to be stuck in another reality, as he watched people strolling down the narrow street all decorated for the festival.

"Hmmm… an order from you. And maybe, but arguably, if I got married. I don't know what your rules are about that.", she answered pensively.

"Marry? Hmm, I never thought about that. Do you want to get married, Nami?", Luffy crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"One day yes. It's not my little girl's dream, but I like the idea of settling down with someone in the future. Perhaps having a family, who knows. And since I don't know what you think about this matter, maybe this is an exceptional situation that would make me leave."

Luffy turned to face her without answering for a few minutes. His eyes weren’t focusing on her and the girl assumed that he was still in another reality, but had no idea what he could be thinking. The boy was never a person to mull over things in general, so it always worried her a little. Is he weighing the pros and cons of letting his crew's partners join the Straw Hats?

But the captain's disregard for the matter left a bitter taste in Nami's mouth and a certain tightness in his heart.  _ He doesn't really think of me that way _ , she thought.

"But don't worry, Captain.", Nami poked his forehead and that brought him to the present, "this is a very distant future. We have a lot of work to do before that, right?"

"But if you marry any of us, the chances would be almost zero, right?", the boy asked while putting his hand on his chin, looking for a solution.

"Well, your logic makes sense, but I have no intention of marrying Sanji, Luffy."

"I wasn't talking about Sanji."

"Nor Usopp."

"I didn't mention him either."

"If you speak Zoro, I swear I will punch you, Luffy."

"I didn't say anything again, you idiot!", curiously, the captain got a little worked up and Nami hesitated momentarily.

"There's no one left."

"I'm no one?"

"Huh?"

Nami's eyes widened so much that she was almost sure her eyes were going to pop out.  _ Does he even know what he's talking about? _ Was Luffy considering marrying her someday? Or was he just saying that to make sure she didn't leave the crew? The navigator decided it was probably the second option because the thick-headed didn't really know anything about it. He himself said that he hardly thought about it, so it was not possible for him to  _ actually _ think of her  _ that way _ .

"Weren't you the one who said that we don't have so much in common, Luffy?", she replied quietly looking steadily at the boy.

Luffy didn’t break eye contact but didn't answer anything once more.

_ He doesn't even know the meaning of what he just said. Moron. _

"Luffy, relax. As I said, it is a future that I just intend to think about after reaching our goals. I don't want you to stick with me out of fear that I will let you down because I won't, okay? Don’t worry. And listen... you must marry someone you like, you dumbass."

"But I like you, Namiii!"

The girl was unable to stop her heart from galloping quickly as if she were in a horse race. She felt like she was starting to blush, but she made a huge effort to force herself to remain aloof.  _ Don’t fool yourself _ ,  _ don’t fool yourself, don’t fool yourself _ . Even so, she was unable to stop herself from being swallowed by his penetrating gaze and whisper seriously, "I like you too, Luffy."

He raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Instantly, Nami realized the weight of the words that came out of her mouth and her brain stopped working. Despair kicked in and she tried to fix the possible shit she had done.

"I-I-I mean, y-you're my c-c-captain, my m-best friend and I know you like all of us equally, b-but I'm talking about marrying someone you  _ love _ . You know, someone to have a family."

She gave an embarrassed smile and scratched the back of her neck, hoping that Luffy wouldn't notice the slip-up and question her more about it. To her luck, he expressed no reaction, rested his face in his hands and just turned his gaze to the people on the street again. He didn't look sad, or upset or disappointed. On the contrary, he seemed simply indifferent.

With that, Nami just cast a sad look in his direction while he wasn’t paying attention.

_ Do you think about me? I wanted you to think of me more than meat. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. thank you

Nami decided to ask something that she wanted to know for a while but knew that she would only get it when the two were alone and he was  _ calm _ , which was rare.

And she wanted to ask seriously and hear a serious answer as well.

"Do you think about getting married, Luffy?"

He had already finished swallowing all the ice cream, so he leaned sloppily on the chair and looked at her. The two were considerably close with their knees touching and the simple contact sent shivers down her spine.  _ Oh c'mon, you look like a thirteen-year-old girl, Nami. Pull yourself together _ , the redhead thought and rolled her eyes.

"Haa? Why do you guys always wanna know this??"

"Hmmm, I don't know. I think it's because we would like to meet the woman who would finally sweep the great idiot Monkey D. Luffy off his feet", she gave a wry smile.

It was true. Nami always had this curiosity because she imagined this woman to be a completely fun and cheerful person, completely crazy about adventures and with luck, smarter than the captain (someone  _ needed _ to be wise in the relationship). The navigator never imagined whether this imaginary woman would be beautiful or not because she knew that this isn't something that Luffy would consider important. Nor is something that worried the redhead because she knows she is gorgeous and has always been confident, so she wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Is Hancock more beautiful? Possibly. Did Nami like that fact? No, but she cared way more about the fact that the Empress was able to stand her ground against enemies without needing any help. That was something that bothered her more than she would like to admit.

"Dunno. It's not something I think about that much. We have so many adventures ahead, Nami!! I don't know if I want to worry about that kind of thing. If it happens, it happens", he shrugged.

An answer that fitted the boy. Luffy was a free spirit and that's why he was fascinating. His simple mind let him enjoy life better than many people in this world.

"Incredibly, you're right, Luffy. But I'm sure we'll all be happy to have the pirate queen on board", she winked at him.

Nami knew that, on the one hand, it was not true. She would undoubtedly suffer from seeing him in the arms of another woman, but she knew she'd be happy if he was happy. Isn't that what love is about? Knowing how to let the person go and be happy for their happiness?

_ Our relationship is more than my feelings. Remember that, Nami. _

Suddenly, Nami remembered another thing that had made home in her mind since Luffy told them about his adventures in the two years they were apart. She knows that it would be selfish of her and that it would go a little beyond the boy's limit of talking about serious things, but the redhead liked to think that they had enough intimacy for her to ask about it.

"And Hancock? Do you think about her?", Nami tried to ask in an unpretentious way.

"Hmm? Hancock is my friend."

"But Hancock likes you. You know that, don't you?"

Luffy sighed and leaned his head on the back of the chair looking at the ceiling.

"…Yeah. Or not because I… I really don't know where she got that from. She says she wants to marry me, but I honestly don't want to. And I don’t know… I’m not the smartest person in the world and I’m a bit of an idiot sometimes, right? I really don't understand, Nami!"

"But you're amazing, Luffy!"

Nami held his hand quickly because of the loving instinct she always reserved for him. She wouldn't, under any circumstances, let him think that kind of thing about himself. Was he an idiot? Yes. Didn't do smart things every now and then? Yes. But if they asked her to describe Monkey D. Luffy with just one word, the answer would be  _ incredible _ .

"You are capable of so many things, you airhead. And there's no one who doesn't like you in this world. You're a good guy, so I don't want to hear you say that about yourself again, do you hear me? Otherwise, I swear I will punch you."

"Sorry sorry Nami, don't hit me pleaaaase-"

Nami didn't hit him, but pinched his nose with a playful smile and Luffy returned it with a happy smile.

"You know Nami,  _ you're _ one of the most amazing people I've ever met!!", he ran his hand over her head and stroked her hair a little, "Thank you for accepting to be part of my crew, shishishi."

It was true that Nami was trying to avoid any physical contact with the captain as much as possible but screw it. She really needed to hug him. She needed to feel him close and put as much feeling into that gesture because Luffy didn't know how much he  _ saved _ her.

He saved her conscience. He saved her from so many life and death situations. Saved her soul.

The hug she gave when she met him at that time in Zou was strong but full of sadness. Luffy has always been her emotional pillar and she wouldn't deny it. He was always present at all times he needed and always gave unconditional support even when he had no idea what was going on.

_ I'm the one who should be thanking you, Captain. _

In the blink of an eye, Nami jumped into his arms without warning, clutched him tightly to her chest and hoped he wouldn't realize that this was a hug that screamed  _ I won't leave you at all _ . Initially, the boy was surprised, with his hands raised in the air, not knowing what to do. But hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around Nami in a light embrace and rested his head on her shoulders.

Such a kind gesture that only her captain was able to perform. And that simple but strong hug given in the middle of a crowded and colorful ice cream shop would stay with her forever. Nami would revisit it as many times as she wanted and keep it in her heart as one of the most important treasures she has ever conquered in her life.

She knew she had already breached Luffy's personal space for too long, so she reluctantly pulled away from him and ruffled his hair. She had no problem exceeding that space limit when it was to put reason in his head, but for acts of affection like that, she preferred to run away.

It was very risky because Nami could say a lot with simple gestures and well, she didn't want to lose everything. Luffy still had the characteristic giant smile on his face that the redhead never got tired of seeing.

"Okay, enough of this serious talk. Since you decided to come for a walk with me, I set up a place for us to go. I know you think I'm not that fun, but I'll show you that I can be as much fun as Chopper or Usopp!"

"Nami, that time-"

"Water under the bridge, captain. Come on, I'll take you to an amusement park nearby, what do you think?"

"SERIOUSLY, NAMI?? AWESOME!!"

"Seriously, you fool."

_ What I don't do for you, huh. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luffy is always a very cheerful boy, but the one from now is also more serious. And I don't think he's like Goku who had no idea what wedding meant (even because Luffy said straight to Hancock's face that he won't marry her). I believe he does know what these things are, but he has no notion of how to do that and is too innocent to realize.


	4. lovely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda big chapter, forgive me!

And take him to the amusement park she did. The captain was overflowing with happiness exactly the same way when he hears Sanji shout that it was time to eat. His contagious joy ended up passing to Nami who was laughing like a child.

But Luffy was usually a lot of work because he couldn't stay still. If she looked away even for a second, the boy was already inside a ride and she was left to run after him. When they managed to be finally together in the middle of so many people, he would take the redhead's hand and pull it to another ride or even to one that they had already gone.

Since she had already set aside a certain amount of money to spend with him before leaving Sunny, she let him have fun and go to whatever attraction he wanted. She really missed this particular Luffy, who was stupidly happy and always knew how to enjoy everything life had to offer. Especially after everything they went through in the hand of the Emperors. It had been a while since she saw Luffy so relaxed.

_ I really wish we could do this more often. _

Nami allowed a loving smile while looking at Luffy making friends with the popcorn man ( _ “Oe old man with the funny beard… is it real? Let me pull it… anyway, your beard is ugly but your popcorn is really good! Gimme more!!" _ ) and the said man laughing at the captain because of the naive but funny jokes.  _ It's super incredible how he manages to attract everyone around him. _ Probably this fact plus the confidence he has for the whole crew is what made the Straw Hats to be loyal even to Luffy's last strand of hair.

In fact, everything they are today is due to  _ him _ . The Straw Hats are a force to be reckoned with because of  _ him _ . Because of how much he inspired them to be the best version of themselves.  _ You changed the lives of us all, Luffy. Do you realize how important you are? _

The rubber boy said goodbye to the old man on the stool and started walking towards her carrying a bucket and a bag of popcorn.

"Hey, Nami! I bought for you!"

"Well, well, well... the glutton sharing food. I am impressed that you didn't devour it on the way."

Nami gave him a wry smile, but she was really puzzled. Luffy always ate everything he saw in front of him. He pouted and looked away the same way he did every time he was going to lie.

"Yeaaah… I didn't even think about it..."

"You goofball! You don't even know how to lie properly!!"

A hit in the head.

"Anyway, airhead, it's almost lunchtime and if we don't go back to Sunny, Sanji-kun will kill us. Let's go, one last ride, okay?"

"Aaaah Namiii, but-"

"No, no 'but'. Let's go. How about going to the paintball and I kick your ass and then boast about my victory?"

"...Don't you think you're being overconfident?", Luffy raised his eyebrow and looked at her as he devoured the popcorn.

"There is no such thing as overconfident, you idiot. Or are you afraid of losing?", Nami gave a mocking look and wiggled her eyebrows in order to provoke him.

"Haaaaaa? I'm not afraid of you, stuuuuupid."

Nami just needed to glare at him.

"...I'm lying. Yeah, I am afraid."

.

.

.

.

.

"Luffy!! Stop picking a fight with the children, you fool!"

"They started it, Nami!! Oeee your little demons, you never shoot anyone in the back!!", Luffy was gesturing wildly and the kids were just laughing at him.

_ Splash _ .

The noise from a balloon bursting behind him was what stopped him from shouting at the children, which gave them time to escape.

"What…"

Nami was laughing out loud at his wide eyes but Luffy started shouting at her completely outraged.

"OE NAMI, I HAVE JUST GIVEN A MORAL LESSON TO THESE CHILDREN AND YOU GO AND DO THE SAME THING!!!"

"EVERYTHING IS VALID IN LOVE AND PAINTBALL, STUUUUPID!!"

"I'm pretty sure that's not as the saying goes!! You are such a child, Nami!!"

_ This boy's audacity has no limits. _

"ME? A KID? HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR??"

_ Splash _ .

The nerve of Luffy to shoot a paint ball at her face. And laugh. A lot. Rolling on the floor.

"LUFFY, YOU BETTER START RUNNING!!"

And he ran. According to the rule, the winner was simply the one who got the best of eleven hits until the time they bought was over. Nami was not Usopp, but she had a good aim - the problem is that Luffy had it too. It was going to be very difficult to beat him just with aim and strength, so she would have to be much faster and more acrobat than him. That wouldn't be so difficult considering the years she spent breaking into and out of places in her old days as a thief.

At least she managed to convince him not to use anything from his Akuma no Mi claiming that it would be unfair to her. After all, the redhead had nothing to compete against his Gomu Gomu no Mi. Luffy whimpered, but, competitive as always, accepted.

Nami went into the most unlikely places where Luffy would have a hard time getting in and being fast - toboggans, little houses with a bridge, ball pool, even in rappel climbing. She managed to be faster than him and had already hit four times - one in the chest, one on the back ( _ "Namiiii, have honor!!!" _ ) and two in the arm.

However, the captain wasn't that far behind - he already had three hits and Nami started to get worried. Then she started to hide behind places and provoke him sticking her tongue out and mocking him. It worked because Luffy let himself be provoked and Nami had even more fun. But soon he'd laugh without a care in the world and ended up getting distracted.

_ Splash _ .

_ Great, one more hit! Just one more, Nami, just one more!! _

"NAMIIIII, YOU'RE PLAYING DIRTY!! YOU'RE DISTRACTING ME!!"

"You're the one who always falls like a chump!!", Nami gave a sarcastic laugh.

"AAAARGH!"

_ I haven't had this much fun in a long time. _

Nami continued her relentless onslaught, but the last hit was proving to be very difficult to achieve. Luffy was playing safe and she started to get anxious because it was about ten minutes before the reserved time was over. She needed to hit just one more and she would win overwhelmingly.

And then she could rub it in his face that she won at least one thing against him.

_ I'm sorry, God, but I'm also competitive. _

Luffy ran like crazy after her and incredibly, got two more hits and that way, left him with five points just like her.

_ Damn it!! _

The boy's aim was getting more precise as time went by, as well as his speed without using any power and Nami started to get worried.  _ What's with this boy, my God? If I get a little closer, I'm sure it's the end!! _ , she thought. They only had five minutes left and Nami decided to take a chance. She ran in his direction really fast, which made Luffy startle and let his guard down for a few seconds.

_ Great! A breach!! _

Nami collided with him, wrapping her arms around his torso and the boy was really startled but laughed out loud when the two collided in the hay scattered on the floor. For a few seconds, she even felt bad about what she was about to do, but winning is winning. And deep down… she also wanted to spend some time there listening to the beating of his heart.

_ Splash _ .

Nami's eyes widened as she popped an emergency paint balloon they gave them for melee attacks in his head.

_ Splash _ . 

Luffy had done the same.

_ Smart. _

"Shishishi, I think it's a tie, Nami!!"

"Haaa? There's no way to tie it, you moron. I hit you first."

"What?! No way!! It was at the same time!! It's a tie, stuuupid!"

"Luffy, it can't be a tie!! It's a six-out-of-eleven series! I got six, so I automatically won, stuuuupid!", she scoffed using the same tone he used, "And... you hit my... MY HAIR, LUFFY!! I SWEAR I WILL DROP THE PAINT BUCKET IN YOUR HAT!!"

Nami put her hands around the captain's neck and shook him in the same way as she did every time he was being stubborn, but Luffy just laughed out loud such a nice and happy laugh that she immediately reduced her strength and only supported her hands on his shoulder while looking at him laughing like the happiest person in the world.

They were still close and his arms still held the redhead's waist in such a sweet way that Nami's heart started beating very fast out of nowhere.  _ What the hell, Nami. _

"I had a great time, Nami!!"

The rhythm of the music that played on the paintball speakers was so contagious and the lyrics had… so so much to do with what she had been feeling these past few months and way more at that moment. The navigator listened carefully and decided that she would keep another moment in her heart.

_ “I'm surprised that you've never been told before _

_ That you're lovely and you're perfect _

_ And that somebody wants you” _

_ I'm also surprised, Luffy. _

She had already kept the hug he gave her hours before at the ice cream shop. Now she would keep this music and the gentle feeling of Luffy's hands on her waist under lock and key.

"Me too, Luffy. I told you I was fun too!!"

"Nami, I didn't want to-"

"I already said that everything is fine."

_ A lie. _

"Are you sure?? But anyway, we have to do this more often, Nami!!"

"Yes!"

And with those words and all this closeness, Nami felt very greedy, dying to collect another memory. She had only realized now that she had her legs around Luffy, straddling him while the boy was lying in the hay smiling peacefully. She knew that she should be embarrassed and get off him urgently because if someone caught them in that position, they would certainly not interpret the situation correctly.

However, from where she was, it was such a lovely view. Luffy, his face dirty with paint and laughing at her, made her suddenly yearn for him. All those years secretly craving for him without realizing it and not even in a sexual way, but just yearning to hear his voice or feel his body heat when she wakes up.

A suffocating longing for someone who was not even far away.

However, the captain probably had no idea that their position was a compromising one, but the redhead is not innocent. If it were any other man who she was interested in, she would have been a lot bolder.

_ But it's Luffy and this time, the only thing I can feel is fondness. _

Nami leaned in until she was closer to the rubber boy, held his face with both her hands and gave him a tender kiss on his forehead.

_ An innocent kiss that I didn't even think I could give. _

The navigator was amazed when she thought how bold she had just been. But at the same time, she never thought in her life that she would call it a bold move.  _ I think this is what happens when you are infected with the virus of this fool _ . It was a completely innocent kiss, but she couldn't get her heart to stop beating fast. Even more so because she knew that Luffy was incredibly close and she could feel his breath on her collarbone.

But how silly could she be to let a kiss like that melt her inside?

_ You are very stupid, Nami. _

"Hey, N-Nami?"

His voice came out in a low whisper underneath her, which ended up awakening things she had never imagined… and now it was really quite  _ bold _ . She started to get so intoxicated that she couldn't think of the risks or that it could come back to bite her in the ass later.

_ "I'm surprised that you've never been told before _

_ That you're priceless and you're precious _

_ Even when you are not new" _

Nami began to give small kisses starting on the forehead, running from the beginning of the nose to the tip and hovering just inches from the captain's lips. Now she was basically able to breathe the same air as him and feel that his breath smelled like blue sky ice cream, strawberry, and chocolate.

_ So Luffy. _

She had been staring at his lips for a long time until she decided to look into his eyes with the intention of asking for permission. But the boy's expression was one of complete confusion and if she was correct, a little suspicious. Luffy was not flushed, his eyes were not wide and he didn’t even look at her lips once, he just stared at her all the time with a frown.

_ Nice. Brilliant idea, Nami. _

The captain's lack of reaction really hurt her. It's not like she didn’t know, but the redhead had that little hope kept in the far corner of her heart. Now she was sure that there was nothing.

Maybe now she could finally move on, who knows.

_ You're an idiot for thinking that something would happen. _

Immediately, the girl got off him, pulling him with her so that they could hand over their equipment and go on their way. And the whole time, Nami was racking her brain to find some excuse, something that wouldn't break their relationship once and for all, but nothing came to her mind. Luffy isn't so stupid as to not understand what she would do next.

Nami let herself be carried away by the moment and it didn't come out as expected. But honestly, she just needed to be straightforward. Apologize to him, tell him that she didn't know what she was doing and ask for him to forget it completely. Then smile and hope that the captain would just brush the subject aside.

She had already handed the safety clothes, straightened her own, fixed her hair and left to wait for Luffy outside. It should take a while since it was a real struggle for him to get dressed. But when she left the establishment, she didn't expect to find him leaning against the wall waiting for her. He was looking down with a frown and was pouting exactly the same when he was trying to understand something.

She shook her head and just grinned watching his squirm face.  _ Better to get this over with _ , she thought. She used her thumb and forefinger to undo the frown, making him look at her. He kept opening his mouth a few times and then closing it.

_ I'll get him out of this misery. _

" Luffy-"

"Nami, why-"

"Why I did that? It was just a loving gesture, Luffy. A kiss on your forehead, you fool. A way of thanking you."

"No… I mean, after-"

"Luffy, don't worry about it, okay? I just got carried away, so forget it, all right? I don't want you to fry your brain cells for something silly."

"But-"

"Luffy, it's okay. I apologize for having crossed the line. Please, forgive me."

Nami rested her hand on the boy's face. This made Luffy lean in and the redhead widened her eyes because… she never saw the captain make such a loving gesture. Hugs? Okay, she had one earlier and others, even if not very often. Hold her (usually around by her waist) to get her out of harm's way? Okay, no problem. Give her his straw hat to hold? She never understood why it was usually always her, but she thought it was a way of him saying "I trust you".

But that… that seemed so intimate. Something she never thought she'd have a chance to do. Luffy had his eyes closed and sighed very softly.

Nami shuddered.

She turned her eyes to his lips again and suddenly, the redhead took a step forward.

And if she gave one more, there was no going back.

_ So, Nami, what are you going to do? _

She took another step.

The last step took her so close to Luffy that she could see his scar up close, could see how it looked healed, but the stitches were still prominent and highlighted. She could see how he had a few little wrinkles in his eyes that Nami supposed it was from smiling so much. She could see that his nose was kind of thin and particularly cute.

She could see that his lips were thin, but it didn't stop the urge she had to kiss them. Then, without thinking twice, Nami leaned in.

She closed her eyes and kissed him.

Simple as that - innocent, but full of things she wanted to say but couldn't. Things like  _ I wish I could say that I love you every day _ or  _ how I wish you were the only guy I’m going to date for the rest of my life _ or  _ I don’t mind not being the queen of pirates, as long as I stay with you. _

So many other things that wouldn't fit in one kiss.

Nami also couldn't help noticing how soft his lips were (even if they were made of rubber, exactly as she thought!) and wondered briefly how it was possible for someone so strong and in constant battles to possess such softness.

And suddenly… it was over. Nami slowly opened her eyes and found his startled. Arched eyebrows and wide eyes, but other than that… no reaction. None of his arms wrapped around her waist, no hand held her face, no hand got lost in her hair, no tongue found hers, no response from him during the kiss.

Nami stepped away from him and smiled bitterly at the reality of the indirect rejection. She knew how it was going to end and even so, she wanted to take a chance. If she really wanted to be sure or just live a fantasy for a day, she didn't know anymore. What she did know was that it could turn into a snowball if she didn't fix it here and now.

The redhead has never been truly a coward (except when she needs to fight and even so, she takes a chance) and she wouldn't start being one now.

Luffy was still staring at her in confusion and if there was ever a time when he looked more like a child, that would be the moment. Nami stifled a laugh, swallowed her pride and disappointment - which, in particular, had the bitterest taste of all the drinks she'd ever drunk - and kindly looked at him. If she managed to lighten the mood, it might be more natural.

"I stole your first kiss, Captain. Hope you don't mind."

She chuckled, winked and turned away, walking in front of him so Luffy wouldn't see her struggling to not cry.

Luffy didn't say a word during the trip back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I used the song F.N.T from Semisonic.  
> 2\. The paintball scene is a tribute to the movie 10 things I hate about you.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading! :)


	5. breaks and mends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a big chapter again, guys, don't get mad at me. |･ω･)
> 
> A very light Frobin and Zotash. My apologies to those who ship something else. (*_ _)人

Robin was lying on her sun lounger on the deck while reading a book and using Hana Hana no Mi to run the fingers through Franky’s hair ( _What the hell is he inventing now?_ ) when she saw Nami and Luffy go up to Sunny and each go to a different corner of the ship - Nami to the girls' room and Luffy to the kitchen.

They were not smiling, talking or fighting.

 _Strange_.

Robin glanced at Franky and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. So he had noticed, too. The archeologist looked quickly at their bedroom door, but the cyborg always perceptive, spoke over his shoulders.

“Go. I'll make something up if they ask.”

Robin nodded and stroke his face. Franky gave her hand a quick kiss and she headed for the bedroom. Nami would probably not be in bed, but in the _bathroom_. Her friend cried there when Hancock threw so many things in her face, so she would probably be there crying for a reason that Robin couldn't quite tell.

I mean, she had a _vague idea_.

The archaeologist found the redhead staring at her own reflection in the bathtub with puffy eyes, totally naked and with the water running from the tap. Robin knew there was something _wrong_. But without saying a word, she approached, turned off the tap, gathered Nami's clothes that were scattered on the floor and put them in the laundry basin, undressed until she was left with only her underwear and got into the bathtub.

Robin waited patiently until Nami decided to speak. Patience was inherent in the archaeologist and she could wait all day and if what the redhead needed was just silence and a friendly shoulder, she would offer it.

After a few minutes, Nami spoke in a cracked voice. “I kissed Luffy.”

Robin's eyes widened slightly, but she remained silent indicating that Nami could speak in her own time.

“But he did nothing.”

Robin was not surprised by this statement - a kiss was not an enemy that the captain would know how to fight. Love was an opponent that she knew Luffy didn't understand, didn't know how to analyze, didn't know how to counter-attack.

“Why did you kiss him?”

“Because I love him.”

Nami had never directly confirmed the archaeologist's suspicions, but she knew it wasn't necessary. The redhead managed to hide from most of the crew because they were all too young to be attached to the concept of love. It was as if they all diminished the importance of the feeling because it would mean that they wouldn’t reach their goals and dreams. Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy especially. Extremely strong boys, but so naive to think that way.

But she and Franky knew better. They were able to pinpoint the exact moment when Nami's crush on Luffy became something completely different. And _stronger_. The couple even talked about it on occasions when they caught the navigator watching the captain when he wasn’t looking or when she smiled kindly while ruffling his hair.

However, neither Robin nor Franky has commented on anything so far. The two thought it was best to let Nami and Luffy figure out for themselves, even if it took a long time.

“What do I do, Robin? What if I screw up everything because of a kiss? What if… Luffy stops being my friend because he thinks I'm going to be annoying and behave like Hancock?”

_As if it was possible, Nami._

The archaeologist was sure that Nami had a more than a special place in Luffy's mind and heart. It was silly of her to think that way because the boy would never stop being friends with her because of a non-standard occurrence. Luffy didn't destroy Arlong or punched his way through Shiki's palace or almost bit Tesoro's head off if Nami wasn't precious to him.

_Extremely precious._

“You're just scared. If you think about it for a second, you’ll know the answer. The affection that Luffy feels for all of us is much bigger than a misunderstanding.”

Robin also knew that Nami was not crying for a simple rejection. The navigator had a huge heart like the captain and was a very resilient woman, so it was probably _fear_ and _shame_. Fear of losing the friendship of her best friend, fear of ending up disturbing the dynamics of the crew, fear of possibly having hurt him, shame for having crossed limits.

Eventually, Nami sniffed and agreed with Robin.

“You're right. Since it meant nothing to him, then I think it would be okay for me to apologize.”

“If that's what you think is right, know that you will have my support”, Robin smiled kindly, “But have you thought about telling the truth?”

“Yes. But I won't. These are too strong words for Luffy to understand.”

“You know the captain is not as dense as he looks.”

“I know.”

Nami looked at Robin with a blank expression and she knew that her friend's mind wasn’t there. What the redhead was seeing was not the archaeologist, but the events of the morning she experienced. Everything must have been playing like a movie in her head and Nami must have been looking for the exact moment she had made a mistake. The exact moment that she could have backed off.

Robin decided to give a piece of advice to the youngest that helped her a lot during her entire life.

“I know that nothing breaks like a heart. But it breaks and then it mends, my dear.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Despite being so resolute, Nami didn't have the courage to apologize as soon as she left the bathroom. The moment she stepped out and looked at herself in the mirror, her determination evaporated in the same way the wind blows away the smoke from the incense she lights when she’s restless.

She decided it was simply because she couldn't look at anyone with such puffy eyes. It had nothing to do with the fear of yet another rejection. But it was there. A fear right under her skin, so intrinsic that she couldn't remove it, even if she wanted to.

She couldn't even get out of the room for lunch or dinner. Robin brought it to her, being able to avoid the suspicious questions of the crew (with Franky's help) and dodging Sanji's exacerbated concern. But when the archeologist arrived with lunch, she was able to hear a sincere apprehension in the cook's voice and Nami firmly thanked any divine entity that existed in the world for such dear friends.

Robin decided that she'd keep her company and that they'd simply watch crappy telly. And in fact, it distracted Nami - she laughed at any nonsense Robin found, intercalating with some random conversations and silent cries on her friend's lap. She couldn't remember how she was able to sleep with her head throbbing so much, but when she least noticed it was already half-past five in the morning.

So Nami decided to take a shower - being careful not to wake up Robin who stayed by her side until late at night - and go out for breakfast early. That way, no one would see her leave the room and no one would pester her with unnecessary questions. When she left, she internally thanked the silence, which meant they were all still asleep.

“Don't you wanna wait to eat with everyone, witch?”

_Of course, Zoro would already be awake._

The swordsman was already sitting on the deck near the stairs, but he was always so silent that Nami didn’t notice his presence. She thought of several replies, some in the form of curses, others in the form of cold words, but in the end, tiredness won over. She didn't want to fight with Zoro or feed their short temper.

“Cut the crap, Zoro. I know you know that I was avoiding Luffy.”

“Heh. Yeah.”

Zoro has always been very perceptive and observant, but he still lost to Robin and Franky. Nami wasn’t surprised at all, actually. And even though he was a pain in the ass most of the time, the swordsman never pokes his nose into anyone’s business. That's why he didn't ask why, but Nami wanted to tell him anyway.

In the end, she sighed and sat down beside him.

“I kissed him”, Nami said bluntly.

“Wow. That was bold even for you, Nami”, Zoro raised his eyebrows, completely gaping.

"I know. I'm still feeling bad, to tell you the truth."

Zoro just nodded and the two were silent again. After a few minutes, he spoke with a serious voice.

"And you'll just run away?"

Nami snorted and looked at him baffled.

"Hah! The nerve of you to say something like that, Zoro! Aren't you the one who's been running away from Tashigi-chan since you kissed her in the last ceasefire?", Nami gave a mocking smile.

"What-! I-!!"

Nami laughed sarcastically, but decided to stop making fun of him. Zoro was going through the same thing as her, so either they would help each other or they would destroy themselves even more.

"The G-5 is a special guest at this festival, Zoro. What are you going to do?", Nami asked while looking at nothing in particular. The swordsman leaned his head against the wall behind him and sighed.

"I don’t know. My idea was to avoid her the whole night."

"Good strategy, Zoro", Nami gave him a thumbs up and made a disapproving face.

Zoro just glared at her and Nami stuck her tongue out.

"Why did you kiss her, Zoro? Knowing how she thinks about pirates…" 

"Why did you kiss Luffy? Even knowing that he's not someone who understands these things?"

The navigator took a deep breath and said it at once.

"Because I love him. I mean it."

"More than money?", Zoro gave a wry smile and Nami hit him on the head.

"Yeah… more than money."

"Yeah, I know. You always worry about him too much. Did you know it's his name that you call first when you're in danger?"

Nami blushed and almost choked.

"W-w-what-"

"I figured you hadn't noticed. But… have you noticed that he's overprotective with _you_?"

"Zoro, we were the first to join. Luffy will always have a slightly bigger protective instinct with us. He doesn't show that much to you because you're a monster. I'm not", Nami just rolled her eyes.

"I was taken by Tesoro that time and I knew you all would come. Obviously Luffy would come. But the anger I saw on Luffy's face when _you_ were taken by Shiki never seemed normal to me."

Nami heard from her friends about the rescue story at Shiki's palace and Robin told her how angry Luffy was when he heard her Dial's message. She knew it would make him angry, but not to the point of punching a freaking stone. _Geez…_

"Well, I don't think it's a big deal. For God's sake, Luffy basically declared war against the World Government for Robin, Zoro. I'm not _special_."

The swordsman just looked at her with a frown, but Nami couldn't decipher what was going through his head. She could never understand how Zoro could be such a strong guy, but so silly at the same time. She knew that behind the macho facade he always put on, there was a very kind guy. And this guy must have been super confused by the things he did months ago.

She gave him a weak smile and decided to put aside all Luffy issues for a while to help a friend. She put her hand on his shoulder and spoke in a calming voice.

"I think you should talk to her, Zoro. I think she likes you."

"Have you ever heard the things she says to me?"

"It's a complicated situation for both of you - she's from the Navy and you're a pirate… damn it, Zoro, I really don't know how that would work… but it won't hurt to find a middle ground."

Zoro looked down and Nami could understand a little of his apprehension. She wasn’t exactly in the same situation, but the anguish of longing for someone but, for some irony of fate, not being able to have this person was a common denominator for the both of them.

Then, out of nowhere, the swordsman ran a hand through his hair, removed his crestfallen expression and laughed at Nami.

"Let's make a deal, witch. I'll talk to four-eyes today if you talk to Luffy. If everything goes well, we drink until we pass out and if everything goes wrong, we drink until we pass out a second time."

The redhead laughed out loud and fist-bumped him.

"We got a deal, first-mate!"

Nami stayed by Zoro's side for a while until she decided to get up and finally make her coffee. Halfway there, she turned and asked curiously:

"Is this the only way for us to have a civilized conversation? When there's a critical situation?"

Zoro had his eyes closed and the hands behind his head.

"I'll meet you in the next heartbreak or the next battle, witch."

.

.

.

.

.

.

Nami managed to have her coffee in peace right after the conversation with Zoro and at six o'clock in the morning, Robin and Franky appeared in the kitchen to have breakfast together. The navigator thought it was best to leave them to have some time alone because at seven o'clock the whole ship would wake up and chaos would ensue.

She headed to the library to work without distractions and intended to stay there until it was time to leave for the festival. Nami didn't want to meet Luffy and she really felt bad for thinking like that, but it wasn't something she was able to control. It was too recent.

And sure enough, at seven o'clock, she could hear Luffy and Usopp screaming for food, Sanji yelling at the two and Chopper talking sweetly to Robin; Franky was as energetic as ever, Brook had started to sing a new tune and finally, Zoro's yawn.

She smiled sweetly as she worked on her maps. _I don't know how to live without it anymore._

They meant the world to her.

She crossed her arms over the table and rested her face, watching the day outside through the large windows of the library. If five years ago, she had been told that in the future, she would be free from Arlong's clutches or that she would be part of the best pirate crew this world has ever seen or even fall in love with the captain himself, she'd have scoffed and scolded the person who had the audacity to say such things to her.

But who would have thought… Here she is, living all of this and mainly because of Luffy. She likes to think that the two were bound to meet and share this journey together, but fate or not, they indeed met and her whole life has changed since then. He was… her home. Pure and simple.

And despite knowing all this, she took a risky because even if fortune does favor the bold, she believes she was a _little_ bolder than she should.

_Enough. I've made up my mind. I'll formally apologize after the festival._

So after finishing her maps and the time for lunch came, Nami thought a lot if she should lock herself up another day and actually avoid him but in the end, she decided to get up and go down to eat with all the crew. She didn't want to, but she would do it anyway. The redhead couldn't even describe how her heart was pounding frantically at the mere thought of meeting Luffy in the hall.

Reluctantly, she put one foot in front of the other and headed for the kitchen. Judging by the noise, everyone was already there. Then she took a deep breath once, twice, three times and opened the door. If it hadn't been years of training in the art of keeping her cool in risky situations, she'd have fled right at the moment when everyone turned to face her in an anxious silence.

Even Luffy had turned to look at her.

Her eyes met his and for a split second, it was as if no one was there. But the moment quickly ended - Luffy looked away and she felt as if she had a rock sinking into her stomach. Nami took another deep breath - she was still a little stunned - and looked at Sanji who was staring at her. Judging by his serious look, the cook managed to figure out what had just happened.

Probably Nami had a slightly painful face because right away, the cook's eyes softened and he understood the silent request she made.

_"Help me."_

Sanji smiled kindly and put on his characteristic persona. He ran over to Nami, took her hand, did his love pirouettes and she was able to breathe in peace. Everyone else understood that it was just another day and it was possible to have a natural lunch again.

When everything was back to normal, Nami gave Sanji a look which said _thanks_ and he just winked back at her.

She didn't sit next to Luffy and he didn't look in her direction.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Nami had decided to leave at seventeen o'clock especially since it was an hour before all her friends would leave for the festival. She took advantage of Robin and Franky's night out - they'd have dinner together at a location close to the event and would have to leave early because it could sell out. Then, the two covered for her, saying that they'd take her somewhere interesting before going out to eat. Nami just wanted to hug them.

Deep down, she really didn't think the boys would go, but these festivities were synonymous of food and drink. Two things that none of them could refuse.

The redhead adjusted her yukata, her hair, put on light makeup and left with the couple. They wouldn't take her anywhere, obviously - they'd just drop her off in the center of town where the party was going to happen and go on their way ( _"I would stay with you, Nami, but Franky did everything he could to get a place at this restaurant, so I don't wanna hurt him."_ ). And as soon as she arrived at the place all lit up and decorated, she hugged them, wished them a good dinner and said goodbye.

The city center was beautiful, the traditional oriental decor was incredible with countless lanterns illuminating the establishments. So many entertainment and food stands, a central space which was already full of couples and children dancing and a stage where some presentations should take place. People and more people dressed in exuberant yukatas and lots of laughter and smiles.

Nami decided to stroll around the place, visiting all the stalls and even tasting some foods. She doesn't know how much time had passed, but it must have been a lot because it was completely dark and her legs were already aching from walking so much. She returned to the main part of the festival and stayed near the stage where there was a drinking stool. She pondered whether to drink sake or water. _I think I'm gonna go with water. It's too early to get drunk anyway._

She stayed in the same place and in the same position for minutes on end, just watching parents, mothers, children, grandparents, and couples dancing and having fun. All this fun and freedom reminded her of her friends and she wondered if they had arrived yet. The festival was full of excitement and joy for Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper. They would definitely love everything.

She was so engrossed in thought that she didn’t notice a guy approaching her until he offered her a beer. Nami looked him up and down and saw that he was a very handsome guy. They looked at each other for a few seconds and the redhead understood why he was there. She smiled seductively and thought _why not? I'm not tied to anyone, so what harm will it do to be with someone today?_

"Oe kitty cat, do you wanna dance with-"

Nami had already opened her mouth to confirm that she wanted to when she heard a serious voice behind her and a hand around her waist.

She froze inside. 

"She's busy now."

She would always recognize that hoarse and intimidating tone anywhere.

"Huh-?", the guy seemed confused and not worried at all.

_This might not end well._

"She's. Busy. Now."

Nami could hear the grinding of teeth.

_Luffy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea if television exists in the OP universe, but here in this mini-universe, it does, hahahaha.
> 
> I also don't know if incenses exist, but here Nami likes it and that's it.


	6. straw hat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thousand apologies for the delay, people. I had some problems adjusting some ideas and so it took me a while to finish. This is the last but one chapter, I hope you like it!

_"She’s. Busy. Now."_

Nami could hear the grinding of his teeth and his hand tightening on her waist. She frowned. _What's your problem, Luffy?_

“What—? Are you her boyfriend or something?”, the guy raised an eyebrow.

_True. He really isn't._

“I don’t care, she's busy now”, Luffy's voice left no room for discussion. Anger was starting to bubble up inside Nami and she wasn’t going to keep quiet.

“Look, man, I don't want any trouble, I just wanna dance with the hottie here, so if you'll excuse me—”

_Hottie?_

_HOTTIE??_

“What did you just call her?”

Nami could clearly picture Luffy's enraged face in her head and she was sure he could see hers too. But before she could protest, the strange guy reached out and took her hand out of nowhere, which ended up taking her away from the homicidal thoughts she was having about Luffy (and now about the guy too). _But what the hell is this guy thinking? He's starting to piss me off._

He once again pulled her and Luffy held her tighter around the waist, but the man didn't want to let her go.

“Dude, you're hurting me!”

If she had her Clima-Tact, she wouldn't be having this problem.

“I'll give you five seconds to let her go. If you don't, I’m gonna kick your ass.”

Nami still couldn't see Luffy's face, but she knew he was still frowning and his lips were trembling. The captain never knew how to control his temper.

“Haaa? I won't let go of her, I got here first, you piece of shit.”

“One.”

Luffy's counting wasn’t being done just so he could punch the guy, it was also for Nami to keep her calm and composure.

“What—”

“Two.”

It wasn't working for her.

“Do you really wanna intimidate me?”

“Three.”

“Man, she was going to dance with me—”

“Four.”

“Bro, who the hell do you think you are—”

“Five.”

_And so much for my tranquil night._

Luffy stretched his arm back, Nami lost her patience, the strange guy wasn’t understanding anything, Nami also closed her fist and threw her arm back, Luffy's arm came back, Nami brought her arm forward, Luffy screamed and so did she.

“MY NAME IS MONKEY D. LUFFY!!”

“LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!”

Before the rubber boy's fist and hers came close to the guy's face, Nami could see his confused expression in a split second, become one of understanding and finally, of terror. _Just now that he realized it was the Straw Hat Luffy._

Both fists hit him straight in the face, the guy was thrown back, destroying a stall in the process; Nami snorted, people shouted, the children ran, the band stopped playing and Luffy shouted again.

“AND NO ONE MESSES WITH MY NAKAMA!”

Even so, Nami sighed heavily, massaged her temples and repeated a mantra — _I will calm down I will calm down I will calm down_.

Luffy still held her by the waist and brought her closer to his body, as if he had always been there, as if there was where he belonged. In less than forty-eight hours, Nami was very close to him once again and the heat that emanated made her feel safe, but she kept a minimum distance, trying not to touch him. She could smell his so characteristic smell. _Some woody scent that he only uses on special occasions._

She fought the urge to rest her face on his neck and never let go.

Luffy still had an angry face and closed his fist again when he saw the man rise. So Nami decided to stop him before he did anything else he’d regret.

“Okay, okay, that's enough! Dude, being really honest, you deserved it. This is not how a lady should be treated”, Nami glared at the guy on the floor and walked over to punch him in the face one last time, “and Luffy. You come. With me.”

Nami gritted her teeth menacingly and Luffy seemed to awaken from the trance of anger he was in. He finally looked at her, opened his mouth and eventually, his expression changed from anger to fear.

“Nami~, I—”

“Come. With me. Now.”

The captain nodded and pressed his lips together in a thin line. The redhead pulled him by the hand and took him to a separate corner behind the stage and closer to an illuminated square. She sighed again and glared at him. Luffy remained quiet, waiting for her to take the first step.

“Luffy. I was going to dance with that guy. Why the hell did you startle him?”

“Did you want to dance with a guy who hurt your hand? Are you crazy, Nami?”, he gestured completely exasperated.

“I really didn't expect him to act that way, but you had no right to interfere, Luffy. You don’t get to control me!”

“I know but—!”

“No "but", Luffy. What's wrong with you?”

“What's wrong with me? Hey, I went there to defend you, you moron and you're going to be mad at me?!”

“Damn, Luffy, but what if he was a really nice guy? You would have scared him!!”

Nami turned away abruptly and started walking again. She didn't get very far when she heard his soft voice.

“I wanted to dance with you. Don't you want to dance with me, Nami?”

She continued with her back turned to him. Luffy spoke again in a quiet voice, but Nami would have listened to his voice wherever they were — even then, in the illuminated street full of talking people coming and going.

“Is that guy nicer than me?”

_What? What an idiot. How can he think that?_

Finally, Luffy spoke in a curiously sad tone. She heard the rustle of his yukata and the sound of his wooden sandals on the pavement. The captain should have turned to go, just like her.

“Okay then, Nami. You can go.”

The navigator was extremely tired. From the moment her lips found his the day before, Nami simply wasn’t able to have any peace of mind. So she decided that enough is enough — the redhead wouldn’t be able to spend another minute without fixing this issue with Luffy once and for all. In the blink of an eye, she turned to face him with everything she needed to speak on the tip of her tongue but was surprised to see that he was already staring at her and striding over with a very determined expression.

“I wasn't going to say anything, Nami, but I can't. I just can't!”, he crossed his arms and made his characteristic pout.

“What—”

“Everything got weird after yesterday and I don't like it.”

“L-Luffy, I told—”

“I don’t wanna know! I didn't say anything yesterday or today because I didn't want to make you angry, but now I don't give a damn. You're avoiding me and it's not nice.”

“I-I’m n-not—”

“Yes, you are! I want us to talk again. Why did you kiss me if you won't talk to me anymore?”

"I-I didn't say I'd never talk to you again, y-you idiot! I-I was just looking for a way to apologize to you", she looked away and spoke softly, "I know I kissed you, but don't worry, I don't expect anything in return. I also just want us to get back to normal. I want to remain your friend."

"You just wanna be my friend?", Luffy stopped and quizzically looked back at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Luffy. I just want you to forget that I kissed you and I want everything to go back to how it was. I swear I'll never do that again."

"Never?"

"Yeah. Never."

"But I wanted you to do it again, Nami~!"

"What—? L-Luffy! This is not something you do with friends!!"

"You did that and you're saying you just wanna be my friend. There's something wrong with your logic", his tone indicated that he thought she was an idiot.

"What? Gosh, You're so stubborn", she sighed heavily, "Listen, Luffy, I don't really want to be just your friend indeed, but you’re my captain and my best friend, I’m your navigator and we're all family. Kissing is just a thing for couples, which the two of us are not. So. That's it."

Nami hoped that he didn't realize how nervous she felt, but at the same time, she felt very proud to have said all this with the most confidence in the world, without stuttering even once.

For some reason, Luffy was looking terrified at something behind her. Nami got worried and turned right away.

"Kissing is something for couples, huh… like… what Zoro and Tashigi are doing… now?", Luffy's face showed the terror he was feeling at the moment, "I don't think… that they want to be… just friends, Nami."

Nami must have the same horrified look.

"Not at all. Not the way this kiss is going", she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oee! You two are being publicly indecent!!"

Zoro released Tashigi suddenly and the two looked at Luffy and Nami with faces as red as a tomato. After a second, the swordsman glared at the redhead and went out, pulling Tashigi by the hand.

_How is it possible to have so much accumulated sexual tension?_

Nami was still so incredulous that she hardly noticed Luffy slightly pulling her sleeve.

"Were you going to kiss that guy like that, Nami?"

When she turned to face him, Luffy looked very sad.

"Uuh, not like Zoro and Tashigi-chan, but one can never know."

Luffy let go of her sleeve, his hand trailed down gently by her arm and then he intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Do you still want to go there with him?", the captain took two steps forward and came closer to Nami.

"Huh? Of course not. It's okay now. You and I are fine, so I want to stay here. Is that okay with you?", her eyes searched his frantically. Luffy was suddenly silent. _What the hell is he thinking?_ , "Of course, if you don't want to, I can go—"

"No!! If you leave, you'll go back to that guy!!", Luffy whined and squeezed her hand tighter.

Nami gaped and soon after, she couldn't stop a vein from starting to pulse in her forehead. _Luffy is really testing my patience._

"I can't believe you're saying such a thing. Honestly, Luffy, don't you know me?", she closed her eyes and began to massage her temples. _I won’t get angry I won’t get angry I won’t get angry_. When she opened them again, the captain was no longer sad, but with a serious expression. And what he said afterward left her paralyzed with a heart threatening to leave her chest.

"Zoro was right, Nami. _I am_ overprotective of you."

"W-W-What-??? Y-Y-You—"

"Yeah."

_Oh no. Help._

"L-L-Luffy…" 

"You said you love me."

"I-I…"

_"But have you thought about telling him the truth?"_

Robin's words came to her mind like a lightning striking a tree. Nami took a deep breath and poured her heart at once.

"Yeah. I do love you. And not just as a friend."

Luffy raised his eyebrows in surprise. Many emotions passed over the boy's face and Nami didn't have the time to grasp any of them.

"Then I don't want you to kiss anyone else, Nami."

"Now you're asking a lot, captain. It's not because I love you that I need to be bound to you for the rest of my life, you fool", she smiled a little downcast.

"I wanna be with you."

"L-Luffy, you don't know what you're talking about—"

"Yes, I know! You think I don't know. You kissed me and it was good, really. I want to be with you", Luffy touched her face affectionately and murmured, "I'm capable of destroying the whole world if someone touched a finger on you."

"You'd do that for any of us. I am not special", Nami chuckled.

"You _are_ special, you idiot", Luffy didn't seem to find it funny.

Now his eyes asked her to believe him. _But how can I do this? There is so much he doesn't know…_

"Why can't you accept that…? …Do you think I'm not capable, Nami?"

"I just think that you… don't know what you're doing, Luffy… what if you wake up one day and decide that this is not what you wanted? What if you think that being with someone is too much trouble? That it infringes your freedom?"

The redhead knew that her expression showed the turmoil she was feeling at the moment, but she couldn't hide it at all.

"First of all, I would never hurt you. I promised the old man from your village that I would never take your smile away. Second of all, you like to be as free as me and that's okay. Third of all is that… how hard will it be to be with you? If there is someone who gives too much trouble, it's me, shishishi."

The toothy smile appeared for the first time that night and Nami let go of all uncertainty and gave a quick peck on his lips. _Oh no, what happened to your promise not to do that anymore?_ , she wondered.

"It's easier for you to wake up one day and decide all of that", Luffy looked dejected.

"Never. I wake up every day and I don't think like that. And I don't even wake up by your side, you idiot", Nami rolled her eyes and intertwined her other hand with his.

"I'll get to sleep with you??", if it was possible, Luffy's eyes would have turned into sparklers, "You are warm, Nami!! Shishishi."

"S-Shut up, you dumbass!! Pay attention to what you say!! People can listen—"

"Let'em."

And without warning, Luffy tilted his head and kissed Nami.

Simple as that. As if their lips had already met over and over again and that was a normal incidence.

Initially, Nami was so surprised that she couldn't react at all. She thought about protesting and asking again if he had any idea what he was doing, but the urge died with the closing of her eyes (which Luffy, thankfully, imitates) and with her hands wrapping around his neck to pull him as close as possible.

Luffy quickly grabbed her waist with one hand, while the other started exploring her back. Nami wasn’t having so much self-control and soon she licked his lip as if asking for passage. She figured he wouldn't know what she was implying, but she almost let out a little squeak of surprise when he opened his mouth, his tongue already teasing hers.

Luffy was inexperienced, as she could tell, but Nami didn't care. Kissing Luffy decently was something she had fantasized for months and now that it was finally happening, her chest was filled with joy. Butterflies in the stomach were a thing for thirteen-year-olds, but just for today, Nami would let them fly freely inside her.

She doesn't know how much time they spent entwined like that, but as soon as the kiss became insistent and eager, Nami decided to move away. After all, she had just scolded Zoro and Tashigi, so it wouldn't be right to make out with Luffy in the middle of a square full of children and elderly people glaring at them both.

They were both panting and Nami was almost sure that her heart had never beat so hard in her life. Luffy was the first to open his eyes and then put his forehead against hers.

"Nami, sorry for what I said months ago about you not being fun. It's not true… it's just that you started doing some things that I couldn't keep up with…"

"Huh? Like what?", she opened her eyes and looked at him confused.

"I don't know, like playing chess. I don't understand any of that, Nami~", he whimpered and pouted.

"You are an idiot… I am an idiot", the redhead widened her eyes and started to huff, "Monkey D. Luffy, are you telling me that I have suffered all these months because— BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY CHESS?!!?"

"N-N-Nami, d-don't get mad at me!! It's your fault for not telling me anything!!"

She opened her mouth but couldn't think of anything coherent to say. She could only hear a white noise in the back of her mind.

"Touché, Luffy."

.

.

.

Nami thought that, as time went by, Luffy started to change along with her. He was still a fool and excited about the silliest things in life, but little by little, she could see a _different_ maturity.

Luffy started to listen to her more; occasionally, he preferred to stay with her instead of going out and exploring the islands like crazy (and sometimes coming back super hurt), he really seemed sorry every time he came back almost between life and death of the countless battles that the crew use to get into, he was able to apologize every time he made her stupidly worried.

But it wasn't just him who was changing. Nami started to have more patience with him and didn't beat him up so much, she started to understand him better - the way he acts and the way he thinks; she was able to have fun with the totally random things he invented, managed to teach him to think more reasonably in the most varied situations.

The essence of the two remained the same — Luffy still made the stupid jokes (and she laughed in secret) and money was still her second and third passion (the first was the crew, Nojiko, Genzo, and Luffy). But there was a metamorphosis between them.

_We are both changing for the better._

Whenever her eyes met his and Luffy smiled that toothy smile, Nami thought about how she has never felt so happy in life. And how stupid of her to still blush every time it happened.

_Amazing how it’s possible for human beings to love someone so much to the point of the chest wanting to explode._

Sometimes she liked to watch him — while he was partying with Usopp, when he sat in Sunny's figurehead looking at the sky and probably thinking about Ace or Sabo; when he was fishing, when he was smiling at completely strange people, when he was sleeping clinging to her.

This was Nami's favorite. Being able to caress his messy hair and his rubber face.

As she was doing at the time. The two were lying together on the deck chair — Luffy curled up on her and Nami supporting the captain's weight and resting his head on her chest, under a starry and dazzling sky.

Sometimes they stayed just like that — lying in silence watching the night and the sea. In this one, they talked until they got tired and the silence took over. Everyone decided to retire the moment they saw Luffy and Nami settle on the lounger. Luffy didn't know, but the crew defined it as a cue to leave them alone because there was nothing in this world that would make the two pay attention to anything other than each other.

Nami noticed on the third occurrence but preferred not to say anything. She really enjoyed the time they spent together.

Suddenly, she heard Luffy's stern voice. _Hm? What happened?_

"Nami."

"Mmm?"

"You are very special", he looked up to capture her eyes and this time Nami didn't blush.

"Huh?", she blinked, feeling confused.

"I knew from the first moment I saw you."

Luffy stood up and put each hand beside her, pinning her under him. She was not embarrassed, but preventing the heart from beating fast was too much.

"L-Luffy—"

"I won't let anything happen to you. Ever!"

_I know. But do you know that so do I?_

"Luffy."

Nami raised her hands and held his face. Now it was her turn to show him a serious face.

"Hm?", he inclined his head and looked owlishly at her.

"You have no idea of the things I would do to protect you."

And it's true. Nami had pondered about the brief idea that came up and housed in a corner of her mind on another starry night, but she had done nothing about it. However, the moment Luffy _actually_ kissed her at that festival months ago, Nami really realized that she wouldn't be able to live without him. So in order for her to be able to protect him, she woke up one day (and saw that he was already awake staring at her) and simply asked him to train her.

The words came out without difficulty and very firmly.

_"Luffy, I need you to train me."_

The captain gave her a suspicious look and was silent for a few minutes, but Nami waited patiently. He must have noticed the high frequency of seriousness in her voice and should be weighing the pros and cons. Then, after a long time, he simply nodded.

_"Okay."_

Nami knew she was a long-distance fighter with the ability to affect a very large area, but she needed more. She had to protect him, even for a short time. _She had to._

"You know that, right, Luffy?"

She locked eyes with his.

"Please tell me whether you know or not."

He didn't say anything, but the kiss he gave said it all.

Early on, Luffy needed some time to get used to the simple act of kissing. It was different and he had no experience at all, although his natural instinct (which almost never missed) made learning very quick. She had all the patience in the world to teach him because she knew that the captain would not stop until he got whatever he had set on his mind. But when he learned… 

Nami knew that she would not kiss any other mouth in her life.

And right now, Luffy wasn’t in the mood to be innocent. Nami no longer needed to guide him because he had already learned everything she could teach. He was able to be kind (and it was the sweetest kisses she ever received), but she knew he was also fire, able to burn until he consumed her.

"Luffy-"

His hand went up to cup the back of her neck, with only the fingertips between her hair and when Nami least noticed, their tongues were already dancing.

She pulled him by the cardigan and they kissed like it was the last day of their lives.

They had been together for months (this was exactly the way Luffy referred to the situation between them — _together_ ), but Nami's heart still beat as if she was going to drop dead at any moment and there was no excuse for her to continue to melt with the seductive weight of his body over her own. For some reason, she had a feeling that this particular kiss felt much more ardent and the fire was starting to ignite her whole body.

In a swift movement, Luffy sat up and abruptly pulled her to straddle his hip, pressing her hard and closer. She shouldn't have let out a soft moan the moment he left her lips and started attacking her neck, but Nami no longer had any willpower to stop an uncontrollable Luffy.

Nami gasped and involuntarily threw back her head; Luffy, always fast, took advantage of the access she gave as much as possible — biting and sucking any piece of skin that he could. Somehow, he was able to make her feel like no one had ever made before and the contrast of this Luffy, who incinerated her with a single touch, with the cheerful and jovial captain always amazed her.

That other unknown side of him that he showed just to her.

It was nothing new to anyone that Luffy was an accomplished fighter, but here, on this battlefield, she was also capable of fighting with equal ferocity. The redhead didn't think it was fair that only he knew how to push her buttons and she couldn't do the same. Then, little by little, Nami discovered the places where she could make him squirm. She knew which one was the favorite and she wasn't going to let it go — she licked his earlobe and in the blink of an eye, Luffy whimpered softly in the curve of her neck. The noise was cute and so _him_ that Nami always wanted to giggle. In fact, any noise he made was so pleasant and so _sincere_.

But deep down, the fact that she was able to do this with the great Monkey D. Luffy, one of the most powerful pirates of all time, gave her an intoxicating sense of power and pride.

It was only when she realized that Luffy was pressing persistently against her core that Nami realized where this was going and that they couldn't do that. She pulled away suddenly and held his face with both hands. Luffy looked frustrated as if it were a sin for Nami not let him taste her.

"Luffy. We can't do that."

"Why?"

"I mean, we can't do that _here_. On the deck."

Luffy just kept looking at her, something alluring and inviting in his eyes.

"W-We can go to my room if you want. Robin has been s-sleeping with F-Franky and—"

Luffy lifted her up and kept her tied with her legs around him as he strode toward the room. Nami's heart was beating wildly with anticipation and she could feel his was the same. Four steps from the door, she felt a twinge of doubt and fear — did Luffy know what was about to happen? Was he ready for another change in his life?

But all the hesitation was gone the moment they crossed the door and Luffy pressed her against the wall and kissed her again, taking her breath away.

.

.

.

When Nami hugged him later that night, with the sweaty naked body clinging to his, she found that she had a slight tendency to underestimate Monkey D. Luffy. She expected several things from that night but what she received was far above her expectations. He was still an enigma to her and there were still many things she needed to learn about him.

Like, for example, that his instinct _really_ worked. Now, she was completely sure and could already remove from her list of doubts.

Nami had never had sex, although she had come close to it several times during her days as a thief — the best way to get something from a man was through seduction. And that she always had a lot to spare. But she never did, she always shied away because, deep down, she had this fantasy that her dreaded "first time" would be with someone special. Someone who _cared_ about her.

The redhead knew that many people already got rid of this pressure very early and Nami continued to wait, but without success. The "right" person never showed up at all and as time went on, she believed it was better that way. She lived in a time that had no room for that kind of thing — love and passion were not part of her daily vocabulary.

Until Luffy crosses her path.

Until Luffy saved her from Arlong, until he put the straw hat on her head, until he screamed that she was his crewmate, until love and passion became part of her daily life because of _him_.

 _Luffy_ was the person she was waiting for.

And how good that Nami waited because Luffy proved to be an impeccable lover. No one had ever been so sweet to her in her whole life and her head was still spinning at the thought. Everything that happened from the moment they passed through the door seemed natural — as if they had done it countless times, as if her body already knew the way to his by heart.

Then, suddenly, Luffy spoke again and the contrast of the voice with the previously silent environment made the hand that gently caressed his arm shiver.

"Nami, marry me."

Nami only managed to stay petrified in shock.

_What?_

She blinked three times and again-

"What—?! Are you crazy, Luffy?", Nami stood up and leaned on one arm, "First of all, we don't need to get married to be officially together and second of all, wasn't you who didn't think about it? And third, we are twenty-one years old, Luffy. Don't you think it's a little early to get married?"

Luffy rested his arms behind his head and the tightening of his muscles made her blush and look away. _Seriously, Nami, you have seen him literally without clothes almost an hour ago_. He just looked at her and tilted his head.

"I don't think about it with anyone else. But if it's you, it's fine, shishishi", Luffy laughed like a fool and put his hand on his chin, "And I don't care about the age thing. Does it make any difference since I want to spend the rest of my life with you?"

Nami's eyes widened and she was sure that all the blood had gone to her face. Luffy just held her face affectionately with his hand.

(The muscles in his arm were still distracting her, along with his chest now uncovered by the sheet.)

"So marry me? Because think about it… how the hell are others going to know you're mine, Nami~?", he pouted.

"Why the hell do you want to show that?"

Nami blinked a few times and moved her hand to cover him with the sheet, but Luffy intercepted it.

"Because I love you, that's why", he said simply.

_What?_

"Huh—?"

"You're thinking way too much. I love you and that's it. I thought you already knew", he tilted his head and spoke in a tone that indicated that she was an idiot for not knowing it. A few strands of his sweaty hair fell on his face and Nami just stared at him. It’s obvious that Luffy knew the meaning of the word "love" — he felt it for his friends and crew, for his family and for food. But even if they were _together_ , she didn't think he could feel it for her because they were, _in fact_ , really strong words. Loving someone other than your family or friends, who are basically a family without blood ties that you choose to love, has always been a very strange concept for Nami.

Choosing someone who has no real bond to love and protect, with no guarantee that that person will return your love is too bizarre for her. It's dangerous.

Nami has always been able to do this, even though she thinks it’s different — loving without guarantees, giving her all without any return, walking through the fire without thinking twice - that it’s even strange when someone says that they feel the same way about her.

_Luffy loves me. Monkey D. Luffy loves me._

"Oe Nami, what happened?", he sat down and with visible concern, held her face with both hands. The sheet went down to his waist, Nami gulped and then chuckled. _He just said he loves you and now all you want to do is pull that sheet off for good._

"Nothing. I just really love you so much."

Nami pulled him into a searing kiss and his response was able to take her breath away once more. _Damn it, Luffy, I don't have the energy for another round_. Then, with much effort, she broke the kiss.

"Shishishi, so we're finally tied", Luffy rubbed her nose affectionately and Nami let herself relax with his soft breathing and with their foreheads touching each other.

_We are changing together. We are maturing together. Are you happy to grow up on my side, Luffy?_

"Okay, come lay down."

Nami lay down again, held out her arms for him, Luffy gave her a big smile and jumped up to curl up on her torso. The captain sighed softly on her neck and her heart seemed to soar in peace. And with the slight inhale and exhale of Luffy's chest, Nami slowly fell asleep with a smile on her face.

But out of nowhere, Luffy got startled and got up fast, almost headbutting Nami.

"I GOT IT, NAMI!!"

"What-! Damn, are you crazy Luffy? Waking me up like that and almost hitting me, you dumb—"

"I'll give you a straw hat. Like mine. You can choose the color!"

"Huh?", Nami was groggy and confused.

"I still can't give you mine because I made a promise to Shanks. I gotta return the hat as soon as I become a great pirate. But you know what?", Luffy put his hand on his chin and started thinking to himself, "I'll get the hat back because now I have a promise with _you_ , shishishi."

Nami could only look at him with her mouth wide open. Luffy gave her an Eskimo kiss once more. _That gesture is so him, my God._

"As soon as I fulfill that promise, my hat becomes yours. And yours becomes mine, okay?"

"L-L-Luffy… are you sure? That hat is your treasure."

"You too!", Nami was sure she was as red as his cardigan. Luffy just laughed out loud, "Shishishi, it's decided!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Nami."

"Mmm?"

"Sex is good."

Nami laughed out loud and Luffy followed her.

"I know, right?"

"I'm rested already. And you, Nami?"

"You know what, me too. What do you want?"

"I want to have sex again."

Nami laughed so hard that she cried. Then she got up and straddled him.

"Your wish is my command, Captain."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really believe that Nami wants to protect Luffy at all costs too, but Oda needed to show interest from the weak trio in training and getting stronger.
> 
> And just to let you know that the next chapter is an epilogue, then we are almost at the end of this fanfic!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	7. epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it comes the last chapter! So sorry for the delay once again. ;'(

Luffy was, for lack of a better word, ecstatic.

Full of joy, happy and light as a feather. And it was not because of the amazing sex he had in the night prior.

Well, there was that too, but to be fair, he has always felt like that after he and Nami banged, which makes him wonder if she’s really a magician considering he made him like sex as much as he likes meat.

But that was not the reason (or maybe it _really_ was because he lost count how many times they did it yesterday. One? Two? Five? Or it was ten? After all, Luffy is always full of stamina and Nami had become way stronger since their younger days) — it was not the _real_ reason. 

It was already 6 a.m. and Luffy was pumped. It's true he was not the kind of guy to wake up late, because waking up late meant less time to enjoy the day and eat meat. Or to fish with Usopp or play with Chopper, or to watch Franky create amazing new robot parts or even to annoy Sanji in the kitchen. Waking up late meant he would miss the sun lightening Nami's sleeping face. No, he can't have that. 

She was still sleeping right beside him, with one arm stretched over his chest, and right now she was drooling, which he would definitely grave in mind so he could make fun of her later on. _Shishishi, silly Nami, I'm gonna make fun of you!!_ , he thought. But even with her drooling next to him, he was really happy he could sleep with her every night, she was warm and he liked that.

That was also not the _real_ reason.

He could hear from their bedroom the noise of things being dragged left and right on the deck. The sound of chitchat and a soft song coming out from a violin in the background was able to reach his ears — it seems the same song Brook was writing for three months and played for him the first time early that week.

And Luffy decided it fit.

Then, he heard him start playing another one Luffy knew, but with a slightly slower rhythm. _Ah! He changed! I liked it, yeah, I did. Nami's gonna love it, shishishi!_ , he thought. Luffy started humming and singing in a low voice, being very careful to not wake her up.

_Fascinating new thing_

_You delight me_

_And I know you're speaking of me_

Suddenly, Brook stopped and Luffy frowned. He was liking the tune and was even singing and then Brook started again and Luffy was happy once more, but the skeleton stopped again and started and then stopped. The captain was starting to get annoyed and decided that the musician was going to receive a piece of his mind. 

He kissed Nami's head softly, slowly disentangled himself from her embrace, and used his fruit to stretch and leave the bedroom as silent as possible. The clarity hurt his eyes and all the noises seemed way louder outside. Good thing Nami asked Franky to install panels on the walls that drown out the sound. 

Right after he left the room, he saw how the deck was different — it seemed larger and already had a lot of chairs, a huge table that Sanji was decorating at the moment, an aisle with some flowers (it seems that Chopper and Usopp were arguing the best way to adorn it) that lead to an alter right below him, where Robin and Franky were starting to put up together. But he found Brook way down in the back, almost next to Sunny's figurehead.

"Oi, Brook! Make up your mind, are you going to play or not?!", Luffy was pouting and strode up to the skeleton. 

"Oh, Luffy, you're already awake. Good, I need your help here on the food table", Sanji said without turning to him, "That stupid Marimo doesn't know shit, so it's better to ask the groom himself."

"Yeah yeah, just a second, Sanji."

"Luffy-san! I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep!", Brook dropped his violin and said again, "I was trying to tune the song correctly on my violin so I wouldn’t make any mistakes during the ceremony."

_The ceremony… shishishi, yeah, I'm getting married today!_

Everytime Luffy thought about it, he'd become extremely giddy. He was going to marry Nami at 4 p.m under tangerine trees and on Sunny. It seems a lot of people were coming, but he couldn’t remember all the names — Robin and Tashigi were the ones responsible for the guest’s list after all. 

However, from all the amazing people he was sure would be on Sunny to see him marry the only woman he has ever wanted to spend his life with, he could clearly remember Shanks, Sabo, Dandan, and his father's names. With everything that happened in the world three years ago, Luffy thought he could only be grateful that those people survived and would be able to see him in one of the happiest days of his life.

He truly wished Ace and his grandpa could be there to witness him. 

_Oh well, they're seeing, I'm sure._

Luffy grinned and said happily to Brook, "Okay okay, but play to me the full song at least once, aye?"

Brook leaned in and said to him, with a soft voice of a grandfather speaking with its own grandchild, “Of course, my captain.”

“Shishishi”, Luffy grinned like a child, his annoyance already forgotten, “I’m gonna help Sanji, but I’ll be listening, Brook!”

The skeleton only nodded and pulled his violin again, soft tunes flowing out and now Luffy could sing to his heart’s content. The captain approached Sanji and started helping him, fixing the huge table which would be full of food and sweets in a few hours. 

“Okay, Luffy. The desserts are already prepared, but now I need you to come and decide with me the main courses. Nami-san already decided the first courses”, Sanji said while leading the captain to the kitchen.

“Meat. I just want meat”, Luffy deadpanned. 

The cook only sighed and hit his head, “You’re not the only one eating today, freaking dumbass!”

Sanji rolled his eyes and pulled a piece of paper with a lot of dishes scribed, something like a menu, Luffy supposed. The captain already bored the moment he stepped inside the kitchen but decided to comply. After all, the whole crew was helping with everything and he should too. Luffy has never been one to let everyone else do all things for him. So with that, he decided to sit on the stool and lean in the stand with Sanji.

The captain tried his best to pay attention to his cook, he really tried, but it was almost 8 a.m and Luffy was starving. He didn’t want to interrupt Sanji and the glint on his eyes, so Luffy endured the hunger. But, suddenly, he couldn’t stop his stomach from growling and both boys jumped out of surprise.

They kept staring at each other and Luffy had his eyes widened. He really didn’t want to interrupt Sanji.

“Wow, you didn’t eat yet, Luffy?”, Nami’s voice came from the kitchen door and her eyebrow was raised, indicating she was mocking him.

“N-Nami… I was deciding the courses with Sanji.”

“The main courses, moron. But forgive me, captain, I really didn’t make your breakfast”, Sanji stood up and walked to the stove, “You want something, Nami-san?”

“Just black coffee, but I can do it myself, Sanji-kun”, she walked in Luffy’s direction and kissed his head, “You left early.”

“Yep. Brook was playing our song! I mean, he was trying, then I got angry and got up to scold him”, Luffy frowned and leaned his head on her chest.

Nami put her left arm around his shoulders, locking him in a half embrace while drinking her black coffee and reading the headline of the newspaper where hers and Luffy’s face were all over the page.

“Mm-hmm, I heard. You shoulda woken me up, cap’n.”

“Nah. You shouldn’t do anything today!”, Luffy gave her his usual toothy grin.

His fiancee looked sweetly at him and Luffy’s heart always soared when she did that. She stroked his hair and then kissed his lips with a mouth tasting like strong coffee. “Ewww, Nami, put sugar on your coffee, damn it!”

Luffy rubbed his lips with his arm and she just laughed out loud. “Aye, aye, cap’n. Anyway, I’ll go outside to help because Zoro might break all the chairs with the way he’s dragging them around. See you later, husband.”

“Shishishi”, the captain grinned like a child and turned his attention to Sanji again when Nami went out through the door. The cook seemed to have a weird look and Luffy just tilted his head in confusion.

Then the blonde glanced at the captain and said with all his intimidating seriousness, the one Luffy knew was able to make a lot of people tremble. The rubber man didn’t though but knew better than to make any joke. 

“I won’t forgive you if you hurt her, Luffy. Even you being my captain.”

The captain raised both eyebrows and said, desperate, “Why the hell would I hurt her?!?”

“Because you’re an idiot and don’t understand these kind of things.”

“What there is to understand? I love her and will do everything to make her happy. Do I need to understand something more?”

_Is there still something I don’t know?! But I really did everything to be good to Nami!_

Sanji smirked and turned around to finish Luffy’s breakfast. The captain kept thinking about the longing he saw in Sanji’s eyes and something clicked. He frowned and decided to get this over with once and for all.

“Do you love her, Sanji?”, Luffy’s tone suddenly turned very serious.

Sanji looked over his shoulder, seeming to ponder his words carefully, and then said, “I won’t lie that she has always had a special place in my heart. But I never knew if it was love per se.”

“Mmm, I see.”

The cook turned around with Luffy's food and the captain started to eat silently his eggs, bacon and a bit of meat — at Nami’s request, Sanji was trying to balance his meal, trying to make him reduce his meat consumption, creating a really boring diet in Luffy’s opinion. But Nami asked because she was worried, so obeying was what he would do. 

But somehow, the air around them turned thick and the silence heavy. Sanji’s answer bothered him and today was his goddamn wedding, the blonde was his goddamn friend and Nami was, to be really straightforward, the goddamn love of his life. 

Luffy finished his food, got off the stool, and was almost convincing himself that it was not worth picking a possible fight on such an important day.

Brook was still outside practicing the song. 

_I'm surprised that you've never been told before_

_That you're lovely and you're perfect_

_And that somebody wants you_

The lyrics were enough, honestly. Not picking a fight (especially for Nami) was not like Monkey D. Luffy, the future Pirate King. He had to make things clear, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to live in peace.

So he decided to stay, his instincts told him to fix that right here and now. Then he glanced at the blonde from out of the corner of his eyes and frowned, “Sorry, Sanji, but I can’t give her up.”

Sanji still had his back to him, but at Luffy’s words, he turned to look at his captain and scoffed, "I didn’t ask that. Besides, we could fight all we wanted, but Nami-san is the one who would give the final word."

Luffy crossed his arms and tilted his head. _Well, he’s right, but what I said still remains!_ Sanji just smirked and then indicated with his head for both of them to go outside and help the others, seeming to have finished what he had to do in the kitchen. The day was still beautiful, the sea was so calm and the weather so nice that made Luffy happier than he already was. 

Both men leaned in the railing, just watching Usopp and Chopper finally agreeing in how to decorate the aisle, Jinbe and Franky deciding how to expand the deck once more so all the guests could fit, Zoro sleeping after gathering more tables and chairs, Robin still fixing up the altar. Luffy was under the impression he had never felt so at peace before.

Then he heard the sound of Nami’s laughter while she talked happily with Jinbe. Luffy grinned softly and contemplated how lucky he was to have so many good things in his life, Nami being one of these. Of course, he still didn’t have the title he longed for — after all, someone at its 27 years old wouldn’t be able to have it yet — but after the war and so many losses, he was truly grateful for what he had.

He stared at the straw hat in her head and remembered how, in the end, Shanks really did let him keep the hat. The old pirate told him he couldn't be called Strawhat Luffy without a damn straw hat. He finally gave him as a gift and told him the hat was passed as good omen to good men and that Luffy had been no exception. 

_"I hope someday you'll pass it on to another worthy person so the meaning of this hat never dies. But I know you made a promise with a very deserving girl, aye?"_

He and Nami decided to really pass it on to a deserving successor. Someday. For now, it was Nami’s and only hers.

Then, the rubber man, blunt as he is, told Sanji something he used to think back in the days, “I’ve always thought you were a better option, ya know. You were all lovey-dovey with her."

Sanji snorted, without looking at the captain, "Nami-san had been in love with you for years but took a long while to realize it. So it makes no sense to wonder if I would be a better option or not", Sanji shrugged. 

Luffy nodded and kept quiet once more. Nami had finished talking to Jinbe and now was helping Robin, the hat still in her head. So he didn’t control the urge to stretch and give a quick peck on her lips, surprising her and making her blush to then scold him in the end. 

"Shishishi, you're so silly, Nami!"

He stretched back and Sanji chuckled, "You're a good guy, Luffy. It's stupid of your part to think you're a worst option. You might not be lovey-dovey like me, but you are in your own way, aren't you?"

Luffy giggled and Sanji smirked, saying again, "You think I don’t know that you _love_ to cuddle with her? Or that you love to lay on her lap under the tangerine trees? Or that you feel stupidly happy when she's paying attention to you?"

"Shishishi", the captain had a slight blush on his face and scratched the back of his neck, not even managing to hide how easily he had been caught.

"Well, she must be all silly knowing she'll be the pirate queen, huh?", the cook turned to look at him, with an amused smile on his face.

Luffy laughed wholeheartedly and with a toothy grin, said, "I've always known it'd be her!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it ends my first LuNa fic and I want to thank all you who followed my story. I truly appreciate all the kind words and hope you all had a great time!
> 
> Thanks and see you around, guys!

**Author's Note:**

> The idea came from the fact that I faithfully believe that Nami, deep down, is in love with her captain. Outside the universe of fanfics, I don't really know if Luffy would be since he’s considered an asexual, but that's not the point. The point is that I really think she's been in love with him for a while. But it's just my opinion, hah!
> 
> And Luffy is complicated, but fun to write. : D
> 
> And I continue on my journey of learning to write, people. Please don't give up on me. (. ♥ ‿ ♥).


End file.
